Category Archives: Recruiting
UofL Football Picks Up Big Commitment From FL DT Denzel Daxon
Photo Courtesy of 247sports.com
Bobby Petrino got some good recruiting news Saturday night when 3 star FL DT Denzel Daxon committed to UofL Football.
The 6’1 315 lbs Daxon was previously committed to Miami (FL). He plays high school football at Carol City in Miami, FL. Daxon chose UofL over Miami, Florida, Georgia, UK, and others. LD Scott was his lead recruiter per 247sports.com.
In watching Daxon’s highlights, he is a unique blend of power and quickness. He is nearly impossible to block one on one because he will either push the OL straight back into the backfield or use his quick feet to beat the OL to a spot and get free run at the QB or RB.
Louisville Women’s Basketball Eyeing Top 10 2019 Recruit
Photo Courtesy of Rickea Jackson’s Twitter Account (@iamthathooper)
Here Ye! Here Ye! Look who’s coming down the pipe this time. Jeff Walz and your UofL women’s basketball staff are at it again. This time, they are knocking on the door of 5 star 6’3 wing Ms Rickea Jackson. Could this be a good time now to mention she’s the number 9 rated player in her class?
Rickea Jackson is the number 9 ranked player in her class for now. She can easily move into a top five spot by the end of her senior year at Detroit Edison Public Academy – she’s that good folks. Jackson also has a very impressive list of schools, as she is wanted by just about every Division 1 program.
The do-it-all Jackson is spectacular in the open floor, in fact she’s spectacular in just about every phase of the game (passing, dribbling, shooting, rebounding, and defense).
Louisville isn’t looking to rebuild anymore: they are in reload mode. There is no better weapon to reload with other than Rickea Jackson!
Jackson’s athleticism is second to none. With her 6’3 frame she can do a lot of damage in the post and from the mid range. Rickea also has a nice array of post moves that she can use to counter defenders if they try to smoother her in the mid-range area. The Detroit Edison star is almost an instant mismatch every time she steps on the court. She uses her impressive wingspan to be a force on the defensive end and also on the offensive and defensive boards. Jackson is a quick leaper and has a very quick first step for anyone, despite being 6’3.
JUCO TE Austin Griffin Commits To UofL
Photo Courtesy of Austin Griffin’s Twitter Account (@austgriff)
UofL picked up a commitment today from the number 1 JUCO TE in the country per 247sports Austin Griffin. Griffin, originally out of St George, UT, is playing for Mt San Antonio College in Walnut, CA.
Griffin is a 6’7 250 lbs TE that had offers from Florida Atlantic, Fresno State, and UNLV, among others. Chris Klenakis was the primary recruiter for UofL per 247sports.
Just looking at his measurements, you can tell Griffin is big and powerful. He looks like he will be an immediate contributor as soon as he sets foot on campus.
While there aren’t many highlights of Griffin, I did find some and they left me wanting to see more. He’s a legit 6’7 and is easy to spot on the field. His arms are long and his hands are big. These two traits give him an unbelievable catch radius. He showed great ability to adjust to the ball, as one was thrown behind him, but he easily made the catch. Griffin projects to be an excellent red zone target for his QB.
The next noticeable thing about Griffin is that he has breakaway speed. He ran a simple seam route in one highlight and then took off, dusting the defense for a TD. Ever since Bobby Petrino has returned to UofL, he has preached about wanting more speed; Griffin appears to possess that.
His route running is good, but I think it could and will get better. Of course, what’s great about Griffin is that even when it appears he’s covered, he’s still technically open.
UofL Football Picks Up Commitment From 2019 3 Star Zach Williamson
Photo Courtesy of Zach Williamson’s Twitter Account (@ZWilly32)
UofL Football picked up a commitment from 2019 3 Star DT/OL Zach Williamson out of Spring Valley High School in Huntington, WV.
The 6’6 275 lbs Williamson had offers from West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Duke, Vandy, and others.
Williamson is a two-way player in high school playing both OL and DL. He primarily plays DT and OT. His footwork and strength will make him valuable at either position.
In watching his Hudl highlights, there’s a lot to like about Williamson. As an OL, he is like many of the OL recruits UofL has recruited recently in that he’s a mauler. He absolutely loves pancaking defenders. In one highlight, he literally pushes a defender at least 15 yards down the field.
Holly Aprile Introduced As New Head Softball Coach
UofLSports.com
On Wednesday afternoon, athletic director Vince Tyra, introduced the new softball coach Holly Aprile to the media for the first time. Coach Aprile comes from Pittsburgh where she spent the last ten seasons at the helm. She mentioned that this job has been on her radar for quite a while and it was more than a destination job.
Here are some highlights from the press conference:
2019 GA ATH Jeremiah Pruitte Commits To The Cards
Photo Courtesy of Jeremiah Pruitte’s Twitter Account (@_jlp5)
UofL Football went down south to GA and got a commitment from 3 Star GA ATH Jeremiah Pruitte. Pruitte plays for Wheeler High School in Marietta, GA.
The 6’6 218 lbs player chose UofL over offers from Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Purdue, among others. Cardinals WR coach and co-offensive coordinator Lonnie Galloway was the primary recruiter of Pruitte per 247sports.com.
Pruitte plays multiple positions for Wheeler High; among them OLB, WR, and TE.
In watching Pruitte’s Hudl highlights, he’s tall, he’s big, and he’s physical. One of his best attributes is his blocking. Pruitte is a great downfield blocker as a WR. His team utilizes this skill a lot in bubble screens. He’s able to seal off defenders and open a lane for the receiver with the football to gain yards.
UofL Women’s Basketball Is Battling UConn For Super Talented 2019 4 Star Wing
Photo Courtesy of Dan Ricci
It’s no doubt that Louisville’s Women’s basketball program has experienced a meteoric explosion in it’s rise to national prominence. Accidentally? No. Intentionally? Hell yeah! Louisville has experienced this explosive rise because:
1. They were deliberate in hiring not a good coach; but a great one.
2. The recruitment of quality players with great basketball skills and character.
3. Getting those players with high skill sets drafted into the WNBA.
4. The consistent ability of the coaches and players to secure significant program changing wins against some of the nation’s elite teams.
2019 UofL Commit Josh Nickelberry Shows Out In Inaugural Battle For Georgia AAU Tournament
Photo Courtesy of Adidas
2019 UofL Basketball commit Josh Nickelberry led his team, Game Elite Gold, to victory in the inaugural Battle for Georgia AAU tournament. His team competed in the 17U division, which was compiled of 8 teams. The tournament was filled with AAU teams that were Georgia based.
Nickelberry showed exactly why UofL fans will love him, as the 6’4 175 lbs G exhibited his shooting prowess all weekend. He rained down threes on every opponent Game Elite Gold faced. He also displayed some of his abilities as a passer and facilitator.
2019 FL TE Sam Snyder Commits To UofL Football
Photo Courtesy of Sam Snyder’s Hudl Account
Coach Bobby Petrino picked up a commitment from up and coming 2019 FL TE Sam Snyder last night, July 6th.
Snyder a 6’5 215 lbs TE, plays for Fleming Island High School and resides in Orange Park, FL. Fleming chose UofL over offers from Maryland, Air Force, and Wake Forest, among others. In the past couple of months, offers really started to roll in for the athletic TE.
Measurables:
- Height: 6’5
- Weight: 215
- 40 Time: 4.59
- Vertical: 40 inches
- Bench: 270
*stats provided by Hudl and 247sports
Snyder is an interesting player. He actually played primarily OT before switching to TE.
In watching his highlights as an OT, he’s a powerful blocker. He manhandles defenders at the point of attack and drives them to the ground. He displayed good footwork and technique on passing plays to keep defenders in front of him. This will translate well to the TE position, making him an every down TE.
UofL Basketball Adds Walk On From Division III College In Maine
Photo Courtesy of Matt Hanna’s Twitter Account (@MHanna_22)
UofL Basketball announced another new edition to the roster today when walk on Matt Hanna was added. Hanna is a 5’9 165 lbs G that played for Division III Colby College last season. You can read all the details about UofL’s new player in the press release below.
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT:
Matt Hanna joins UofL Men’s Basketball Team
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Matt Hanna, a 5-9, 165-pound guard from Milford, Mass., who played a season at Colby College, has joined the University of Louisville men’s basketball team as a walk-on.
Hanna started 23 games last season at Colby College, an NCAA Division III school located in Waterville, Maine. He averaged 11.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and a team-leading 3.3 assists during his freshman year with the Mules and ranked second on the team with 23 steals. He will redshirt the 2018-19 season at UofL and have three years of collegiate eligibility remaining.
UofL Basketball Hosting Some Elite Talent On Campus This Week
Coach Chris Mack has some very talented 2019 and 2020 players visiting UofL this week. He’s working hard to rebuild the brand and continue the tradition of UofL bringing in high level talent.
A 5 Star and a bunch of 4 Star players will be paying or have paid visits to campus to see what UofL and Coach Mack have to offer.
Here’s a rundown of each of these players.
QUDUS WAHAB
Photo Courtesy of Jody Demling/Cardinal Authority and 247sports.com
2019 4 Star C
- Height – 6’10
- Weight – 230 lbs
- High School – Flint Hill School (Ashburn, VA) originally from Nigeria
- Offer Date – 6/23/18
- Visit Date – 6/23/18
Wahab visited UofL on June 23 and left with an offer in hand. Mike Pegues is the lead recruiter for UofL. Other schools recruiting Wahab include Syracuse, UConn, Virginia Tech, and Clemson, among others per 247sports.
Khwan Fore Is Officially In The Fold For The Cards
Photo Courtesy of Louisville Men’s Basketball Twitter Account (@LouisvilleMBB)
Back on June 2, Khwan Fore committed to UofL as a grad transfer. Fore is a G that had played for the Richmond Spiders. Now Fore is officially part of the University of Louisville basketball roster after signing his financial aid papers today.
The 6’0 175 lbs G originally committed to Tennessee as a grad transfer in May before reopening his recruitment. He averaged 11.1 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, 2.2 assists per game, and 1.7 steals per game for Richmond last year.
Fore is an athletic powerful G that will provide valuable minutes, likely from the bench. His defense and experience will be relied upon by Coach Mack.
By the way, he also loves to dunk. His dunking prowess at Richmond was such that Richmond made a YouTube video studying the physics of his dunks (thanks to John Lewis of WDRB for finding this awesome video and tweeting about it). Check it out below. Lets bring back the Doctors of Dunk and the Dunking Cardinal.
A Cardinal Returns To The Nest: Akoy Agau Is Back At UofL
Photo Courtesy of scout.com and 247sports.com
A prodigal son has returned to UofL Basketball; a player long forgotten after he transferred to Georgetown. Chris Mack has brought back Akoy Agau as a grad transfer. So, Agau’s career has now come full circle and shall end where it began. This has been in the works for a few weeks.
Agau, a 6’8 230 lbs F from NE, played at UofL for 2 seasons. While he did show a little promise in very limited playing time, he never quite capitalized on it.
The inability of Agau to reach his potential likely has to do with two issues. The first is Agau having to battle Montrezl Harrell for playing time. Obviously, it was a losing battle for him competing against a future pro for playing time.
The Barbour Shop: Shop Talk With 2019 QB Commit Jaden Johnson
Photo Courtesy of Jaden Johnson’s Twitter Account (@JadenJohnson524)
Back on November 1, 2017, UofL got a commitment from 3 Star QB Jaden Johnson.
- Height: 6’2
- Weight: 208 lbs
- 40 Time: 4.8
- Shuttle Time: 4.4
- Vertical Jump: 29.5 inches
- Bench Press: 315 lbs
- Squat: 555 lbs
*stats courtesy of Hudl
Johnson chose UofL over his hometown school Memphis and Georgia. He is rated the 14th best pro style QB in the nation per 247sports.
Many UofL fans feel like the already know Jaden due to his presence on social media. They constantly see him exalting the virtues of UofL to other football recruits attempting to persuade them to join Uncaged 19. It’s not often a player who hasn’t even set foot on campus or has yet to throw a pass in uniform garners status as a fan favorite. It appears Jaden is doing this, winning over UofL fans with his Twitter charm.
Luckily, I got to interview Jaden to find out more about him as a player and as a person. So, sit back, grab your favorite beverage, and enjoy this edition of the Barbour Shop.
How UofL Recruiting Targets Did At NBPA Top 100 Camp
Photo Courtesy of NBPA.com
UofL basketball had one commit and several top recruiting targets participate in the annual NBPA Top 100 Camp this weekend; players UofL has been recruiting hard or that have visited campus.
We will give a run down of each player, their stats for the weekend, and each player’s best game.
*All stats courtesy of basketball.exposureevents.com or prepcircuit.com
(Click more for recruit breakdowns)
Bobby Petrino Gets His Second Uncaged 19 In-State Commit Of The Week
Photo Courtesy of Neal Cardin/The News-Enterprise
For the second time this week, UofL Football and Coach Bobby Petrino got a commitment from a 2019 in-state recruit. 3 Star ATH Anthony Adkins, from Larue County High School in Hodgenville, gave his pledge to UofL.
Adkins chose UofL over offers from Army, WKU, and Bowling Green. I expect more offers will likely roll in for him, so it is good UofL was able to lock him in before other schools come a calling.
The Barbour Shop: An Interview With UofL’s Newest Commit Aidan Robbins
Photo Courtesy of Aidan Robbins Twitter Account (@theaidanrobbins)
On Wednesday, UofL picked up a commitment from 3 Star Dupont Manual RB Aidan Robbins.
- Height: 6’3
- Weight: 220 lbs
- 40 Time: 4.54
- Shuttle Time: 4.3
- Vertical Jump: 33 inches
- Bench Press: 285 lbs
- Squat: 450 lbs
*stats from Aidan Robbins HUDL page
He picked UofL over arch rival UK, Purdue, Vandy, and Missouri. He is the first of a bunch of high level talent in the city of Louisville to choose to stay home to play his college ball.
Aidan averaged 16 carries a game last season and 3.8 yards a carry per maxpreps. He also did not fumble the ball once. Strong, durable, powerful, with excellent ball security, Aidan Robbins will be a feature back that can wreak havoc on opposing defenders.
Top UofL Basketball Recruiting Target Impresses During First Day Of NBPA Top 100 Camp
Photo Courtesy of Billy Embody, 247sports.com
Day one of the annual NBPA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, VA wrapped up last night. 4 Star G Jahmius Ramsey, one of Coach Chris Mack’s top targets, impressed the recruiting folks at 247sports.com.
Here’s what the article had to say about Ramsey after day 1:
UofL Football Is Trying To Win The State In 2019: Aidan Robbins Commitment May Set The Victory In Motion
Just about every coach in the NCAA wants to take care of home first (from basketball to soccer). They all speak about how important it is to win the recruiting battle and keep the good and special players home. The same goes for Louisville’s Bobby Petrino, Pete Nochta, Ryan Beard, and the rest of the coaching staff.
This year is no different; especially with all the talented young men coming from the state just within the 2019 class. This class arguably has the talent to rival any class to come before it: the 2003 class (Michael Bush), 2004 class (Brian Brohm and Mario Urrutia) and the 2013 class (James Quick, Kyle Bolin and Jason Hatcher).
Aidan Robbins Comes Home To Roost As Newest Uncaged 19 Commit For UofL Football
Photo Courtesy of 247sports.com
Today is a huge day for Bobby Petrino and the staff at UofL as they get a Louisville kid to stay home. Aidan Robbins, a 6’3 220 pound 3 Star RB out of Dupont Manual, has chosen to join the flock at the university right next door to his high school.
Robbins, the 11th ranked player in the state of KY, has an impressive list of 21 offers; among them are Vanderbilt, Purdue, Missouri, Cincinnati, Duke, South Carolina, WKU, and UK. With all the offers, it makes locking up his commitment that much more impressive. Mike Summers and Kolby Smith (a teammate of Michael Bush) were the lead recruiters.
